Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Substitution Recovery of Gold from Copper-Ethylenediamine-Thiosulfate Leaching Solution with Copper Power

  • Metallurgy of Rare and Noble Metals
  • Published:
Russian Journal of Non-Ferrous Metals Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The substitution method of recovering gold from thiosulfate-ethylenediamine (en)-Cu2+ leaching solution using copper powder was studied. The effects of reaction time, stirring speed, pH, thiosulfate concentration, en/Cu2+ molar ratio, Cu/Au+ mass ratio, and temperature on gold recovery were systematically examined. The experimental results showed that reaction time, stirring speed, thiosulfate concentration, en/Cu2+ molar ratio, Cu/Au+ mass ratio, and temperature have a significant influence on the recovery rate of gold, whereas the pH has little effect. A high gold recovery rate of 95.38% was achieved in 0.2 mol/L thiosulfate at 40°C after 40 min with a stirring speed of 400 rpm, pH of 11, en/Cu2+ molar ratio of 6, and Cu/Au+ mass ratio of 150. A kinetic study revealed that the reduction of gold-thiosulfate complex ions (Au(S2O3) 3-2 ) on the surface of copper powder follows a first-order kinetics model with an apparent activation energy of 39.82 kJ/mol.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Abbruzzese, C., Fornari, P., Massidda, R., et al., Thiosulphate leaching for gold hydrometallurgy, Hydrometallurgy, 1995, vol. 39, no. 1, pp. 265–276.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Donato, D.B., Nichols, O., Possingham, H., et al., A critical review of the effects of gold cyanide-bearing tailings solutions on wildlife, Environ. Int., 2007, vol. 33, no. 7, pp. 974–984.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Hilson, G. and Monhemius, A.J., Alternatives to cyanide in the gold mining industry: what prospects for the future? J. Cleaner Prod., 2006, vol. 14, no. 12, pp. 1158–1167.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Stenson, J., Disaster management as a tool for sustainable development: a case study of cyanide leaching in the gold mining industry, J. Cleaner Prod., 2006, vol. 14, no. 3, pp. 230–233.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Grosse, A.C., Dicinoski, G.W., Shaw, M.J., et al., Leaching and recovery of gold using ammoniacal thiosulfate leach liquors (a review), Hydrometallurgy, 2003, vol. 69, no. 1, pp. 1–21.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Lampinen, M., Laari, A., and Turunen, I., Ammoniacal thiosulfate leaching of pressure oxidized sulfide gold concentrate with low reagent consumption, Hydrometallurgy, 2015, vol. 151, pp. 1–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Senanayake, G., Gold leaching by thiosulphate solutions: a critical review on copper (II)–thiosulphate–oxygen interactions, Miner. Eng., 2005, vol. 18, no. 10, pp. 995–1009.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Jiang, T., Jin, C., and Shi, X., Electrochemistry and mechanism of leaching gold with ammoniacal thiosulphate, Proc. XVIII International Mineral Processing Congress, Sydney, 1993, p. 1141.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Yu, H., Zi, F.T., Hu, X.Z., et al., The copper–ethanediamine–thiosulphate leaching of gold ore containing limonite with cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide as the synergist, Hydrometallurgy, 2014, vol. 150, pp. 178–183.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Nie, Y.H., Chi, H., Zi, F.T., et al., The effect of cobalt and nickel ions on gold dissolution in a thiosulfate–ethylenediamine( en)–Cu2+ system, Miner. Eng., 2015, vol. 83, pp. 205–210.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Navarro, P., Alvarez, R., Vargas, C., et al., On the use of zinc for gold cementation from ammoniacal-thiosulphate solutions, Miner. Eng., 2004, vol. 17, no. 6, pp. 825–831.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Navarro, P., Vargas, C., Alvarez, R., et al., Gold cementation with zinc powder from leaching solutions with ammonia-thiosulphate, Revista de Metalurgia, 2005, vol. 41, pp. 12–20.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Wang, Z.K., Chen, D.H., and Chen, L., Application of fluoride to enhance aluminum cementation of gold from acidic thiocyanate solution, Hydrometallurgy, 2007, vol. 89, no. 3, pp. 196–206.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Arima, H., Fujita, T., and Yen, W.T., Gold cementation from ammonium thiosulfate solution by zinc, copper and aluminium powders, Mater. Trans., 2002, vol. 43, no. 3, pp. 485–493.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Karavasteva, M., Kinetics and deposit morphology of gold cemented on magnesium, aluminum, zinc, iron and copper from ammonium thiosulfate-ammonia solutions, Hydrometallurgy, 2010, vol. 104, no. 1, pp. 119–122.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Wang, Z.K., Li, Y.F., and Ye, C.L., The effect of trisodium citrate on the cementation of gold from ferric/ thiourea solutions, Hydrometallurgy, 2011, vol. 110, no. 1, pp. 128–132.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Wang, Z.K., Chen, D.H., and Chen, L., Gold cementation from thiocyanate solutions by iron powder, Miner. Eng., 2007, vol. 20, no. 6, pp. 581–590.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Guerra, E. and Dreisinger, D.B., A study of the factors affecting copper cementation of gold from ammoniacal thiosulphate solution, Hydrometallurgy, 1999, vol. 51, no. 2, pp. 155–172.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Hiskey, J.B. and Lee, J., Kinetics of gold cementation on copper in ammoniacal thiosulfate solutions, Hydrometallurgy, 2003, vol. 69, no. 1, pp. 45–56.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Nguyen, H.H., Tran, T., and Wong, P.L.M., A kinetic study of the cementation of gold from cyanide solutions onto copper, Hydrometallurgy, 1997, vol. 46, no. 1, pp. 55–69.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Nicol, H., A modern study of the kinetics and mechanism of the cementation of gold, J. South. Afr. Inst. Mining Metall., 1979, vol. 79, no. 7, pp. 191–198.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Science, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650500, China

    Lixia Guo, Xianzhi Hu & Futing Zi

  2. College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo, 454003, China

    Yanhe Nie

Authors
  1. Lixia Guo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Xianzhi Hu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Futing Zi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Yanhe Nie
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Futing Zi.

Additional information

The article is published in the original.

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Guo, L., Hu, X., Zi, F. et al. Substitution Recovery of Gold from Copper-Ethylenediamine-Thiosulfate Leaching Solution with Copper Power. Russ. J. Non-ferrous Metals 59, 261–268 (2018). https://doi.org/10.3103/S1067821218030057

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.3103/S1067821218030057

Keywords

Search

Navigation